First Date
by Beautiful T Jakson
Summary: A little oneshot in which Harry and Hermione go on a date under a dare, and it leads to an epiphany. Harry's POV.


This is just a little one-shot that, quite literally, came to me in a dream. It's in Harry's POV, sort of. I figured I'd post this while I'm working on chapter five of my other fic, Chamber of Secrets: With a twist.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, or none of that. If I did...oh, the possibilities.

This is un-beta'd, also.

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"I had a great time tonight," she says to you softly.

"Me too," you say to her.

It was definitely a true statement. It was a fun date. It had started about two days ago, during a simple enough game of Truth or Dare. You, Ron, Hermione, Lavender, Parvati, and Ginny were all participating. Feeling dangerous, you had said "dare" to Ron, who grinned almost maliciously. Then he said those fateful words.

"I dare you to take Hermione on a date Saturday night."

Silence had fallen over the room as you looked at Hermione, shocked. She was wearing a similar expression, her cheeks tinged pink. There was no arguing, though. The game was enchanted to require you to carry out dares and tell truths. That's what had caused Lavender to spill her love for Parvati, leading to a very happy relationship. You simply smiled bashfully at Hermione and asked, "When and where?"

So it was that you and Hermione were walking the streets of Hogsmeade, Saturday night, in awkward silence at first, but then you remembered something: This was Hermione. You can talk to her; you've been friends with her for seven years. She helped you defeat Voldemort not three months ago. As you struck conversation and began chatting happily, you realized that she had always been there for you. Her eyes, either widened in concern, or narrowed in stern anger, were always there, keeping track of you. Her voice, whether soft and caring, light and happy, or hard and stern, was always speaking some form of guidance to you. She helped you get to the stone. Your heart stopped when you saw her petrified in the Hospital Wing; leaped when you stood by her to watch Sirius fly into the night; swelled when she was there in fourth year when not even Ron was; and nearly stopped again when she almost died in the Department of Mysteries.

_What would I do without her?_ you think to yourself as you help her sit down in her seat in a fancy Italian restaurant. She helped you cope with Sirius's death, and then Dumbledore's. Thanks to her brains, the Horcruxes were easy to track down and destroy. With the spells she helped you learn, you defeated Lord Voldemort after a grueling battle, and she stayed by your bedside the entire time you were in St. Mungo's while Ginny was off with her boyfriend, Neville (you were happy for them).

_She never left my side_, you think as you step into the theatre to watch a renowned wizarding play. No matter what, Hermione's loyalty never wavered. She had apologized profusely for her conduct in sixth year, chasing after Ron.

"It was just a silly crush," she said as you walked down the moonlit path back to Hogwarts. "I knew he had been pining for me and it hurt to hear that he'd gotten over me. I should've been helping you with Malfoy."

You laughed at this and Hermione joined in, realizing how ridiculous her conduct had been.

Now you stand outside the door to the girls' dorm, looking at her in the dim firelight, her hair sparkling, looking like copper.

"Well," she says, turning a little pink. "Goodnight."

You don't respond; you simply cup her cheek, and your heart hammers as you lean in. Her face gets closer and you can feel her warm breath coming in quick hitches. Your lips contact and you feel your heart stop. To you, this feels so right. Her lips are soft and warm…and parting. She grazes your mouth with her tongue and you part yours, tasting the inside of her mouth. Your heart skips as you realize that you're kissing your best friend…and your loving every second of it. She whimpers pleasantly and this drives you to deepen the kiss, grabbing her bum to lift her up. She moans against your mouth and your head is spinning, but now from lack of oxygen. You part, both gasping for air. Hermione's face is flushed and her lips are pink and slightly swollen. You've never seen anything more beautiful in your entire life. Your eyes meet and you see something you've never seen before in them. It's strange, but you like it. Could it be…?

"Would you like to come upstairs, Harry?" she asked, grinning mischievously.

You make a mental note to buy Ron a Firebolt next chance you get.


End file.
